Memories
by 0oSYdNeyo0
Summary: A past long forgotten, memories coming to the surface brought on by the familiar feeling around the man who saved her. Who is he? Who is she? Who is Reiha?   A Sesshomaru/OC story.
1. The Beginning

In the small village of Edo a seemingly normal human girl searched for her friend. "Malu! Malu!" the child called out to her friend. "Reiha!" Malu said as she ran to greet the young girl. "Have you seen Inuyasha? Chiyo asked me to find him." Reiha spoke as she caught her breath. "Oh yeah! I just saw him when I was looking for you! I wonder what he has done this time!" Malu said accusingly. Inuyasha was the only demon allowed in the village, not because he didn't harm human, but because he himself was half human. He was only a few years older than the two girls, but everything that went wrong was blamed on him. "I don't think he did anything. Chiyo wanted to train me, and she told me to come and get him." Reiha explained as Malu lead her to where she had last seen the half demon.

Inuyasha was sitting a tree branch staring to the forest just outside the village. Reiha walked close the tree and stood just under his branch. "Inuyasha!" he didn't look down to her. "Inuyasha!" she called to him again. Still no reply. She called his name a third time, this time startling him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" the boy yelled as he jumped out of the tree, landing in front of Reiha. She merely smiled and said: "Lady Chiyo is looking for you." Inuyasha sighed, "What did I do this time?" his young golden eyes full of sorrow. Reiha walked closer to him, she looked into his eyes. "Nothing, she wants you to help train me." she smiled again. "Really?" the boys voice full of excitement. Reiha nodded, she turned and ran past Malu. Inuyasha followed close behind.

"Inuyasha! Come down here! I need you to help me!" an older Reiha yelled to the stubborn half demon who sat perched in his tree. He looked at her through the corner of his eye, and smiled. She would be the only human in this village to stand under a demon and yell. "Please!" she begged. He turned to look at her. "If I help you I may end up purified!" he yelled before turning to stare into the forest again. Reiha almost laughed. "You of all people know I can't purify anything…" she finished under her breath: "I don't even think I'm a real priestess…" she hoped he hadn't heard that. Inuyasha let out the breath he'd been holding. "Fine." he said jumping out of the tree away to Chiyos' hut. Reiha half smiled and began to walk back the way she had come.

"My lady! My lady priestess!" Reiha stopped in her tracks. A village woman ran up to her, panic filled her eyes and voice. "My son! Please help my son!" Reiha looked in the direction of Chiyos' hut and back to the woman. She thought for just a moment. Looking at the woman she said "Take me to him."

"Inuyasha where is Reiha?" the old priestess asked. "I don't know! I left her where she was annoying me." he said not bothering to look at the old woman. The hut was silent when Kikiyos' voice rang like a bell through the thin door. "Lady priestess, the village boys, they are dead." the words came slow out of her mouth. The elder woman and the young demon both jumped into movement, hurrying their way out of the hut.

Reiha followed the woman to her hut. "He is in the back." the woman stopped walking. Reiha looked at her, than continued to walk around the hut. Once she had reached the back she saw the young man laying face down in the grass, unmoving. The young priestess could feel the demonic presence surrounding the hut. She slowly walked forward to the man, the scent of copper filled her nose and became stronger with ever step closer she took. She looked to the grass, it had been stained the rusty color of blood. Her breath caught in her throat and she glanced to the man. He would not be alive. Reiha finally reached him, she saw he was her age, barely old enough to take a wife. She knelt to the ground in the blood and the mud, and gently took his shoulders, she turned him to face her. She tried to keep from gasping, but the sight caused her breath to catch in her throat.

The boys mother was watching the priestess and began to run toward her and her son. "Stop! Do not come near here!" Reiha yelled to the frantic woman. The priestess looked back to the young mans face. The entire right side had been torn form his skull. The scratches from the claws were forever embedded in the bones of this man. She stopped her voice from shaking. "I need you to get Lady Chiyo, she needs to see this." Reiha said as she closed the mans only eye, and stood up. The village woman turned and ran to find the eldest priestess.

"Reiha!" a voice she knew all too well. "Inuyasha! I'm back here!" He leapt over the hut with ease and found her standing next to the man. "What are you doing here?" she asked as he landed in front of her. "Kikyo came to the old ladies hut and said that the village boys were all dead. Chiyo figured you been called to help. She and Kikyo left to help all the women." Reiha stood silent looking up into his golden eyes. She finally looked away slowly into the chaos forming on the dirt streets. Horror filled her eyes and she looked to him again, "What did this?" she whispered. Inuyasha took her wrist and began to follow Chiyos' scent, "We will talk to Chiyo."

They found the woman in the center of the village with the priestess Kikyo. "Hey! I found her!" Inuyasha said loudly drawing all attention away from the two priestess's, to himself and Reiha. The elder priestess quickly walked to Reiha and Inuyasha, a look of urgency in her eyes. "You both must leave this village. You both need to find the demon responsible for this." She spoke quickly and quietly, she walked incredibly fast for a woman of her age towards the edge of the village. The two followed her hesitantly. "Come!" she said turning quickly. They almost ran to her. "You must go now." Reiha and the half demon hadn't even noticed Kikyo until she spoke. She held out a bow to Reiha. "thank you." Reiha said taking the bow and bowing. The woman nodded to the forest. "Go! The demon will not stop! Go now!" Kikyos' voice was raised. Inuyasha took Reiha's wrist again and pulled her into the dense forest.

It was dark in the forest, the trees almost blocked out the sun completely. The wind began to pick up, a storm was coming. "Stay close, I can smell demons." Inuyasha whispered keeping Reiha behind him. He could hear her breathing, shallow and quick. She was afraid, he could smell her fear. "Hey, everything is going to be okay. I can handle these weak demons." he spoke in a calm voice, in an attempt to calm Reiha. It didn't work. He looked at her, her eyes darted right to left than right again. _Damn, she can sense the demons…_ Inuyasha thought. He took her shoulders and she looked deep into his eyes. For what seemed like an eternity, he didn't move, he didn't breathe. Her eyes were the color of ocean water, and as deep as the deepest trench. He has almost let himself get lost in the depth of her eyes, until she suddenly looked past him. As if she was seeing right through him. Inuyasha took a breath, and was overwhelmed by the stench of human blood. He turned to face the demon, it was like nothing he had ever seen. It towered over the two of them. Its' skin was grey and it's limbs were abnormally long. The claws on it's hands were covered in blood, and it reeked of death. Its' bulging eyes were as red as the blood covering it's hands. "So, you two must be from the weak village I just visited." the demon spoke with a toothy crooked grin on his pale face. Reiha held her breath, she could feel his demonic aura filling the space around her. She could feel it curling it's self into her hair and looping around her limbs. Her stomach sank. Inuyasha took a step backwards closer to her. She could almost see him thinking. His hand at his side held his claws ready to strike. "Don't." One almost inaudible word slipped from her lips. She waited for him to relax his hands. "Inuyasha." she spoke louder. "Quiet." his raspy voice was now a hiss. Again he smelled her fear and for a moment he thought he could smell his own.

"Ha! You both are weak. Not worth my time!" he disappeared into miasma. "Oh! Kill them." His voice echoed through the trees, and he was gone. Demon after demon poured from the trees, each ones eyes as red as the monsters' who called them there. "Reiha! Run!" Inuyasha yelled pushing her away from the onslaught of demons. He turned and used his claws to rip the flesh from the closest demon. He ran through the forest, claws, kimono and hair soon were soaked with the blood of his enemies. He killed countless demons, but it seemed they were never ending. For every one he killed it seemed more took its' place. He had all but cleared himself a path. One demon stood in his way, a wolf demon, fangs bared, claws reaching yearning to tear through the half demons flesh, to feel his warm blood covering his hands. Inuyasha bared his own fangs back at the wolf, a low growl shook through his chest. He crouched low, ready to spring at his opponent at the slightest muscle movement. They stared at each other waiting for the other to make the first strike. Finally one moved. He leapt through the air. The wolf stepped back quick to avoid Inuyashas' claws. "Damn!" the half demon cussed, as his feet touched the ground again. The wolf ran forward claws out stretched in front of him. If Inuyasha wanted to survive he would have to outsmart this demon, blocking his path. He jumped over his attacker.

Inuyasha turned around and the wolf demon was still trying to stop his forward momentum. Inuyasha took advantage of the demons turned back, he ran close and jumped forward flying over the demon. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" The wolf turned just in time for Inuyasha to sink his claws into his cheek and drag them down his body. The demon was dead in a matter of minutes.

Inuyasha franticly searched the air for Reihas' scent. At first all he could smell was blood and demons. He concentrated and finally sought out her scent. He ran.

She had run to the bridge connecting Edo to the other island. She stood in the middle surrounded by demons. Demons had taken her bow in the forest, she was now defenseless and Inuyasha was no where in sight. She looked to her right than to her left, nothing but the open air. In front of her stood a wall of demons, behind her the same. The demons auras surrounded her and made her sick. Than as if they had been given a secret sign she had not seen, they ran at her. Blood red eyes focused on their only target, Reiha. She tried to scream but it caught in her lungs. She closed her eyes tight and brought her arms up in an attempt to protect herself, and she waited. She could hear her heart beating, and the blood pumping though out her body. She waited. Waited for the blood to drain from her. She waited. Her heart never stopped, her blood kept flowing in her veins. Her lungs still filled and emptied with air. She slowly opened her eyes, her enemies were gone. No where to be seen.

"That was clever girl." an unfamiliar voice called from across the bridge. One last demon, eyes redder than them all, blocking her way off the bridge. "Playing weak worked on the weak and crazed demons. But I could feel your power, demon. And I will not fall into your trap." this demon was different, smarter than the rest. His appearance too. He had no claws or fangs and his ears were round and human. If his eyes had not been the color of blood she would have thought him human. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not…" she hesitated. "I'm not a demon." she finished her voice soft but strong. Her fear almost vanished. She watched the demon, he reached for the sword at his hip, than paused, only for a moment.

"We're no longer alone." he said with a smirk, than continued to unsheathe his sword. Reiha realized at once who was coming and what this demon was planning on doing. She turned her back to the demon. "Inuyasha!" she yelled to him before she could see him. When he ran into her vision, she yelled to him again. "Inuyasha! Don't come onto the bridge!" but it was too late, he could not hear her over his own pounding heartbeat in his ears. He had almost reached her when Reiha turned around to see the demon raise his sword. She ran. When he cut the first rope the bridge buckled under the weight of the two people running to save themselves. They both stumbled than kept running. They had almost made it, when he cut the second rope. The bridge disappeared from under Reihas' feet. She felt claws scratch through her kimono, onto her waste. The hands were familiar, rough and warm on her skin. Thunder rumbled loud across the sky. Inuyashas' hands slid away from her as she crashed onto the cold ground. The landing caused her to lose her breath. She caught it quickly, and looked for the man who had saved her. Reihas' eyes filled with tears when the half demon was not on the cliff side. Lightning lit the sky and rain began to fall as quickly as the bridge had fallen under her feet. Reiha crawled to the end of the land, but could not bring herself to look over the steep edge. She knew Inuyasha had fallen with the bridge, when he threw her to the ground. Thunder bellowed through the dark sky again. Her tears fell like the rain. She screamed his name, it echoed off the cliffs, through the rain and across the sky.


	2. Her Youkai

Reiha woke on a totami mat, covered in a heavy fur pelt. For a moment she thought she was back in her small pelt. She imagined the cool moring sun shining through the small window, falling on her face. She almost smiled at the fond memory, until she was abuptly brought to her waking world when she heard footsteps approaching where she lay. She jumped to her feet and fo the first time took in her surroundings. She was circled by cold grey stone, the tatami mat was layed out on the floor to her right. On the wall opposite her current position, leaned an armored chest plate, and a single sword. The white pelt sprawled on the floor behind her seemed almost familiar and she found herself staring at it.

_She was small, sliding on a polished wood floor, socks on her feet. Her hair was tied up in an elegant knot. She heard heavy footsteps coming across the large hallway and bowed as the man passed. She looked after him but all she saw was a white pelt falling over his shoulders. _

A shiver shook her from what seemed like a memory. "You are cold." a low, cold voice spoke from the entrance to the cave to the left of the amor. She felt fear start to take over her mind and bodyy. She slowly looked away from the pelt, raising her gaze to the man who had spoken. He was tall, long silver hair framed his pale face. On his forehead a perfect cresent moon surrounded by the silver locks. His eyes were a familiar golden color. Their eyes had only met for an instant, but an instant was enough for Reiha to feel as though she had looked into his eyes before, somewhere long long ago. The man had walked into the cave and was now draping the pelt over the small womans shoulders.

"Reiha." he whispered her name, she almost hadn't hear him. She didn't answer, for a long moment, she was lost in how sad and distant his hushed voice had been when he had said her name. _My name?_ She looked over her shoulder at the familiar eyed man. "How do you know my name?" her voice sounded surprisingly strong for the whisper that it was. The man sighed and looked away from her gaze with only his eyes. "You really do not remember." his voice was louder and stronger now.

"Who are you? Why did you take me? Where am I?" the questions sped past her lips, as she turned to face this stranger. He was looking at her again, but his gaze seemed to somehow be looking through the her she knew. "You know me, and I could not leave you in the rain. I am taking you to my grandmother, she will help you ragain your memory."

"My memory?" She wondered outloud.

"Your demonic aura aswell." He said securing the plated armor to his chest. "Leave the mat." it was said as an after thought as he took the white pelt and placed it over his right shoulder. He walked towards the cave antrance. Reiha had to run to catch up to him.

"What do you mean 'my demonic aura'?" she asked as the red flowers on the sleaves of his kimono came into view against the white world he was standing in. She glanced at her sandals than again to the snow covered mountain. She looked to him. He was crouched with his back to her his arms looped by his sides. She stepped in his footprints and wound her arms around his neck. As he stood he wrapped his arms around her thighs. "Your Youkai." He finally answered. _My what?_ "Somehow, someone sealed your Youkai, and your memory. You cannot remember any of your demonic past." He spoke as if he had read her mind; her memory of her past, other than that of the small village, was gone.

"And your grandmother can help me?" she spoke quietly for her voice was directed into his pointed ear.

"That is my hope." He jumped and it was as if they were flying. The air was cold, but Reiha could barely feel it against the heat of his body. They did not speak as the moundtains of snow flew under them, and slowly turned into a lush forest.

"I didn't know trees grew up this high up." The woman spoke taking in the scent of the forest.

"They don't. Not without help." He looked at the forest he would be landing in. "My grandmother must have some help." He thought out loud. He set Reiha on her feet. She looked to the tops of the trees.

"What do you mean 'help'?" She looked at the demon.

"Youkai help. You'd be able to sense it." The man turned and walked into the forest. Reiha jogged to keep up with his long strides. She constantly looked around deep into the woods around her looking for the 'help' he had spoken of. A small smile formed on her lips, and the man noticed the change in her scent. He risked a glance ar her.

_"Are you sure we are allowed this far from the palace?" A small Reiha dressed in a pink silk kimono stood on the edge of a forest wearing a worried look on her small brow. "Yes Chiyo took me there, and I wish to show you." a young boy with shoulder length silver hair and a perfect cresent moon on his forehead grabbed the young Reihas' hand, and pulled her into the forest. They ran in silence until the sun began to turn the world above them orange. Reiha slowed to a walked and looked to the orange sky. "Reiha." the boy called out to her. she followed him deeper into the forest. Few fireflyies drew her attention away from the boy for a few spare moments. A smile touched her lips as the boy looked to her, her light blue eyes followed a single small yellow light as it danced in the growing darkness. The boy took her wrist, "We are almost there." He said sniffing the air, Reiha did the same. Only moments later he froze in his tracks. "Close your eyes." He said turning to the girl. She did as he requested. The child with golden eyes and a perfect cresent moon took her and, and lead her only a few small steps. "Open your eyes." Reiha opened her eyes and her vision was filled with hundreds of little dancing lights. There was a small lake reflecting the dissapearing sky. The sound of a small waterfall filled her ears. She looked to him. "Sesshomaru, this is beautiful." the smile that touched her lips, now touched her face. _

"Are you okay?" The Reiha who didn't know who she was asked. The man was shaken from his memory. "Yes." his answer was quick. "We are here." he began to walk up a stone path Reiha had not seen. She followed closely behind him.

"I recogniize those scents." the voice of an elderly woman came from the end of the stone path. The beautiful man leapt the remaining stone to the womans side. he had said something close to her ear. The woman shared his golden eyes, silver hair and pointed ears. She however, did not have a cresent moon on her forehead, the markings on her cheeks were jagged and blue, in comparison to his smooth red double markings. The woman was wrinkled and small, but by no means frail.

"Reiha, is it?" The old demon asked. The younger of the two nodded. "I am Haru. Why has my grandson brought you here?" Her voice was full of peace and kindness. Reiha walked to the elder woman and bowed. "He said you could help me ragain my youkai, and my memory." Reiha did not look the woman in her golden eyes. "Come inside child." Haru said extending a clawed hand.

The old woman lived in a well furished hut; much bigger, with more rooms than the ones in the human village. "I thought I smelled youkai in your blood. Do you remember anything of being demon?" Haru asked as she ground a mix of herbs. Reiha sat opposite of the elder woman. "I do not." she said watching as Haru mashed the leaves into a paste. "Grandson, go to the stream and fill this with water." Haru said holding a bucket for him to take. He stepped off the wall he was leaning on, took the bucket and left.

"Is he always so silent?" Reiha asked in a hushed voice. Haru almost laughed. "Drink this." she said mixing the paste with the little water she had left. "Your youkai shall return to you." She handed Reiha the cup. Reiha closed her eyes and reflected on her human life, her human friends, her half demon friend and the demon that killed him. She opened her ocean eyes and drank the contense of the cup. She waited, Harus' golden eyes stared through her.

Reiha felt her heart pound once painfully in her chest, than again. Her stomache tightened and she felt ill. She ran outside to an enormous tree, she rested her forehead against the rough bark. Again her stomache tried to refuse her last drink. She clenched her jaw and a deep breath in through her nose, the air smelled clean and crisp. Another wave of pain shot through her chest and felt what she thought to be new claws dif into the tree. A cloud of demonic energy painfully erupted from her body, and a scream tore through her throat.

"Sesshomaru don't!" Reiha heard the familiar voice through her own scream. Reiha fell silent, youkai flowed around her for moments more before settleing into her now demon body. She looked to her hands, which were now her weapons. She looked to the ground and the moss she was kneelingg in, it was a more vibrant green, her vision had improved aswell as her sense of hearing and smell. Reiha finally looked to the two demons staring at her.

"The seal is broken. You are as you were born." Haru spoke with a smile on her face, she turned to her grandson; "Her youkai is restored, but I cannot touch her memory, a priestess sealed that." Sesshomaru only nodded once, than looked to the now demon. She had changed, since his last memory of her. She was still much smaller then him and still lacked any facial markings. Her hair was much longer alswell. But her eyes, her eyes never changed, only the pupil changed shape, the color, depth and kindness stayed, even now. Reiha met his gaze. "Your scent, it is familiar. A dog youkai." She paused for a moment. "What am I?" The expression she wore reminded Sesshomaru of a child. "You are a miix, your father was a dog youkai, and your mother was a wolf youkai." The man expalined. Reiha nodded, then looked to her clothes. She had to strifle a laugh as she recognized the familiar clothing.

"What is funny, child?" Haru asked.

"A demon clothed as a priestess." Reiha replied with a small laugh. Haru joined with her own laughter.

"Grandson"

"She's already heard my name. You may say it now." Sesshomaru inturupted. Haru sent a glare in his direction.

"As I was saying. Run into the villafe at the bottom of the mountain and buy her clothes suitable for a long trip down the mountain." Haru tossed him a small leather poutch full of coins. He caught it in his right hand and began his trip down this enchanted mountain.

Now Haru turned to Reiha. "You and I will be training. I will teach you the basics of battle and how to use your scenses to your abilities." She walked in a circle around the young woman. "You cannot wear that. I may have something for the time being." The older woman turned back into her hut, Reiha could hear the woman mumbleing about her clothing, and soon followed.

Haru was rumaging through a box full of fabrics. She held what look to have once been a shirt. "This will do nicely. Take those off." She said pointing a clawed finger to the white and red cloth the other demon wore. Reiha slowly removed the clothing from her body. She stood in a corner of Harus' hut covering herself with her arms folded across her chest. "Put this on." Haru said holding the black cloth out to the woman. Reiha quickly took the cloth from her, and the clothed herself. She tied a peice of the material Haru had cut, off of one of the long sleeves when she removed them, around her waste. The shirt only came to mid-thigh. "Are you sure this is decent?" Reiha asked as she walked into Harus' vision. "It will be for now." The older woman replied, leaving the hut.

Outside the woman was marking set trees with claw markings. Haru turned and walked to Reihas' side "The first technique i'm going to teach you is simple and you will not use this after your memory is regained." Haru dug her claws into her forearm drawing blood. "Blades of blood!" She yelled as she swung her blood covered claws in front of her. Her blood, as she had said, turned into blades and left the marked trees with a few gashes. "Now you." Haru said turning to look at Reiha. "Focus your youkai into your blood on your claws." she finished. Reiha took a deep breath and as she had seen Haru do, she dug her claws into her left arm. To her surprise it did not hurt. She channled her youkai into the blood she felt on her claws. "Blades of blood!" She shouted as she mirrored Haru. Reiha smiled as her blood turned to blades and flew into the trees, leavings wounds in the bark.

"I did it!" She turned quickly to Haru, a smile lighting her face. Haru, however, wore a different expression, something caught between shock, disbelief and excitement.

"You did child, and your wounds have healed." Haru smiled. "There is nothing left for me to teach you." The old demon motioned for Reiha to follow her into her alrge hut. Reiha followed the woman through many rooms and finally to one sliding door. "I will answer your question about my grandson now." Haru said as she slid the door open and stepped onto an unpolished wood deck overlooking her enchanted mountain-top. she kneeled on a pillow near the edge and patted the pillow next to her. Reiha knelt beside her. The view was breath taking. She could see the wind blow through the trees like a wave, and she could faintly hear the leaves rustle from miles below her.

"My grandson was not always so silent. In fact, he used to be quite lively." She began, "He used to run and laugh. As a child of a great youkai lord, Sesshomaru lived a wealthy life. Anything he wished, he recieved. "She stopped for a moment, as if letting a memory play through her mind. "He used to have a playmate. Her father was the Lord to the Southern Lands. My son hat set a meeting with the Southern Lord, who brought his young daughter along. He had said his mate had recently passed, and the young child begged to attend the meeting with him. " She smiled at the memory. "My son laughed. He said Sesshomaru was near her age and would likely do the same. He called the boy out from his chambers and into his office, I saw him on his way there, I remember I made him change, for she was dressed in a fine pink silk kimono. But from that day forward, the two were inseperable. My son and her father used to say: 'They'll combine our lands someday.'" again Haru smiled. "Then his mother fell ill and passed away, he mourned her for a long time, and in that time his playmate did not come around as often. My son arranged for the Southern lords daughter to come and once again play with Sesshomaru, it was the right thing to do and the boy grew less and less sad with each day." The smile fell from her face and her eyes darkened. "The southern lord send word to my son that his daughter had gone missing. He and his men were scowering the lands, but they had found nothing, not even the childs scent. She paused, thinking how to phrase her thoughts. "Sesshomaru recieved everything he wished for, wish the exeption of his dear friends' return..." Haru looked to Reiha, she was staring into the wave of trees the balcony overlooked. Her eyes looked so deep, Haru almost thought she saw an ocean wave cross the iris of Reihas' eye. She looked sad for the little boy of Harus' memory.

Reiha slowly drew her gaze to Haru. "I know you... Don't I?" The old woman smiled, "You do, from a very long time ago."

Dusk had fallen on the two women and the mountain they overlooked. "How much longer until Sesshomaru returns?" Reiha asked drawing a blanket over her shoulders.

"I imagine any moment now." Haru speculated as she sniffed the air. "We should head into the main room." She said standing slowly. The two made their way to the room quickly, Reiha had caught the mans' scent in the air she walked. She knew he would be waiting.

"Welcom back." She greeted him with a smile. He mearly looked to her. _She always used to say that. _Sesshomaru remembered a smile touching the corners of his mouth. "These are the kimonos she will need." H said holding heavy folded fabric in his strong pale hands. "Thank you, child." Haru smiled at her sons' son. Taking the fabric, she faced Reiha, "You will wear these down the mountain. You need to familiaritize yourself with your youkai again." She explained, watching the young woman's cheerful expression fall.

"I will go alone?" Reiha paused between he last two words and panic edged itself into the last word.

"You will." Haru said as though it was a small task. She side glanced at Reihas face. Her crystal blue eyes were wide with fear. Haru slightly chuckled, "You need not fear, you have the strength, wit, and speed to be at the bottom within a day." Reiha took a breath in, exhaling she said: "I shall change." she took the heavy fabrics and walked into a room connected to the main room.

Haru lead her grandson out to the patio overlooking her forest. "I told her your name." Her warm golden eyes met the cold gold of his. "She deserved to know. You took her, Sesshomaru." Her voice grew more and more serious. "If she had remembered anything about you I wouldn't have." Her voice fell calm. "She does wish to remember." Haru looked to the forest. "Reiha will remember you Sesshomaru." The man glanced to his grandmother, he seemed to believe her. The two heard the womans approach, she had dressed quickly. She walked into the room and bowed before Haru. "I can never repay you for your kindness. Thank you." she did not look the older woman in the eyes, she mearly looked to her own feet.

Reiha stood and turned to the door, "I shall take my leave." and she slid the door open.

"I take my leave as well." he started for the door.

"You may not follow her. It is her journey alone down the mountain." Haru continued to explain, "Her youkai is new to her. And it's grown as strong as she has. She needs to recognize her own strength. You are not to interfere with her." The old demon turned away from her grandson and walked to a different balcony, one she could see Reiha from.

Reiha stumbled through the forest, facing every noise her heightened sense of hearing picked up. Her eyes darted around the forest which seemed much more alive this time._ Calm down, you can fend for yourself. _She wasn't sure if she could believe the familiar voice, her own voice, in her head. She reached a clearing surrounded by the tallest of trees._ This place is so pretty. _She thought as she heard a strong gust of wind rustle through the trees in front of her. The wind blew across her face and through her kimonos. A smile found it's way to her face. And she took a breath of the cool air. _"Run."_ Her voice told her, and she did. She ran from the clearing to the edge of the snow, it couldn't have taken her more than an hour. Reiha could smell Sesshomarus scent above the snow, he had flown over it when he returned with her kimonos. She felt something hot in her chest, and it began to spread through her limbs to the tips of her fingers and toes. Again she felt the sudden urge to run and she had to try to stop herself from doing it.

She heard the snow compact as she stepped into. She felt the coldness of the snow through her thick socks. She could not run here in this cold air, it seemed to freeze her throat and lungs with every inhale. The snow got deeper and deeper as she got farther away from Harus' home. Her socks were frozen to her legs and feet, and her kimonos were beginning to freeze in the wind._ A storm... _She had always been told the village dogs could smell a storm, she never believed that until she, herself, smelled a storm on the wind. Reiha knew her first priority was to find shelter, she jumped to a tall rock and looked. _Its white for miles.. There is no shelter.. _Reality dawned on her. She felt her youkai diminish and the cold set in. She wrapped her clothing tighter around her body and continued towards the storm.

Sesshomaru watched Reiha from the skies. He also could smell the fast approaching storm, she would have to make it to the cave he brought her too. He felt her youkai for the most part, disappear. Had he not been able to see her, he would have lost her. As the sun began to set, the mountain turned a firey orange, and Sesshomaru watched as Reiha slowed her pace. He lowered himself from the sky to the snow she was walking through. He could smell her now, she was cold. His instincts told him to help her, but his grandmother had told him not to. He stood still in the snow and watched as the woman stumbled slowly through the very thick snow.

_Night is falling and that storm is nearly here and I don't see any place to go... _She caught scent of the man following her. She thought to look for him, but chose not to.


	3. Chapter 3

Freezing wind lashed through her clothing and whipped her long black hair in all directions. The footprints she had been following had dissapeared several hours ago, rendering her sight useless. But she still searched for anything in the vast whiteness before her. She had walked miles down the mountain getting closer and closer to the storm with every step. Her feet were numb from walking on the frozen ground. She held her long sleeves bunched around her fists, to keep the small limbs from the frigid temperaters.

It had begun to snow and night had completely fallen on the world around her, and as the sun left the world dark, the temperature dropped conciderably. Reiha hugged her small shoulders, and the new falling snow chilled her hands. A shiver shook through her, and her breath stuck in her throat. She knew she had to have been close to the cave she had woken up earlier that day in, but it was no where to be seen in the dark.

The snow stuck to her hair and skin, and blinded her. _This is the storm I smelled._ She thought as she continued to walk towards the blizard. _The cave can't be far now. Just a little further._ The silent motivation kept her moving. The world was so white, other than the sky. She looked to where the full moon had been, it had been covered by the thick blanket of storm clouds. Now even the sky had been turned white. _The sky too?_ Her thoughts filled with worry. Without the stars, she would never find her way. A sigh escaped her cold lips.

He followed at a close distance from the sky, before night had left him blind. He, himself, had landed in the snow to follow her, and was now in his true form of a great dog youkai. She was gone from his sight. _She cannot have moved so quickly._ He thought as he sniffed the cold air. Panic rose in the demon, her scent was gone. Sesshomaru pushed his youkai to the far edges of the mountain, desperatly feeling for Reihas' renewed youkai. When he could not feel the familiar youkai, a howl sang through his chest and throat.

She continued to walk as her body shivered with intensity. _Left, right. Left, right.. Left, right..._ Each thought moved her legs, but each time the thought and the movement slowed. _Right... Right... _Nothing moved. Reiha stood, frozen in the snow. Her body twitched and ached. It was so cold.

The snow she had been staring into for hours had begun to fade. Her mind had gone blank, her body numb. She fell to the ground, and laid there, still and unmoving atop the blanket of white.

He had found her youkai and had transformed back to his youkai form not to frighten her. He walked closer to the place her youkai eminated from, he wanted to be able to keep watch over her. She never entered his sight and he could now smell her scent. He should be able to see her. He looked to the snow, and he saw the pastel blue kimono he had bought for her hours ago. He ran to the clothing.

He saw her laying in the snow, he tanned skin looked as white as the snow. Her face was solemn and peaceful. One of her hands was tucked under her cheek, the other fell across the snow. She looked as if she had just tried to take a step before her body collasped under her.

_"You may not follow her. It is her journey alone down the mountain. Her youkai is new to her. And it's grown as strong as she has. She needs to recognize her own strength. You are not to interfere with her." _Harus' words played back in his thoughts. He stood over her motionless frame, he looked to her familiar face. _There are things you don't do. _He thought as he kneeled to scoop the woman into his arms. Sesshomaru slid one hand under her thigh and the other just below her armpit. He looked to her face again, remembering the face of the child he knew she was. Her features had hardly changed, she still looked like the child only grown up.

He walked to the cave he had taken her too, she had passed it nearly half an hour before he found her. He laid her on the mat he had left, and placed his pelt over her. He would leave before she woke up, but before than he wished to watch over her. She had brought her hands up and under her chin, to keep them warm he guessed. A smile had found it's way on her pink lips. _She must be dreaming of something pleasant. _He speculated before closing his own eyes.

Reiha opened her eyes, and again looked at the cold grey stone surrounding her. Her nose picked up a familiar scent. _Sesshomaru? He was here?_ She struggled to remember the events of yesterday. _My youkai... And the mountain. The blizard and the cave. I never made it here... _Everything made sense, Sesshomaru had found her and brought her to the cave when she had lost conciousness. She silently thanked him for no doubt saving her life.

She left the darkness of the cave and the brightness of the sun reflecting off the snow blinded her momentarily. Once her eyes had adjusted to the bright world, she once again looked outside of the cave. _There aren't foot prints..._ She thought as she realised how much snow had fallen the previous night. She glanced in the direction of Harus' home, than decided now would be the time to continue her jouney down this snowy mountain.

Everything looked the same as it did serveral hours ago. If she hadn't known which way to go, she wouldn't know if she was traveling up or down.

Traveling solo down this mountain gave her time to think about the events of the previous day. _Youkai... My past... Who am I?_ Her thoughts all but racedfrom one thing to another. She followed the familiar scent of the man who saved her down the mountain. _He doesn't listen well. He's not to help me. And he has lead me down this mountain._ She laughed to herself as the snow beneath her feet began to turn to the dirt of the earth. A smile found her face, but soon vanished as a single thought crossed her mind: _What do I do now? _

Reiha had lost Sesshomarus' scent an hour after she had reached the bottom of the mountain, and had been wandering for hours now. "I would rather have been human, with human friends, than wandering the fields alone..." She whispered to heself. _"Do not wish to be anything other than what you are. For you will never learn to appriciate who you are." _A mans voice filled her mind. Her heart ached, she was not accustomed to being alone, she wanted to cry. Tears began to well up in her eyes, she slowly looked to her surroundings, which way should she go?

"Someone! Someone please, help me!" A womans voice broke the silence surrounding Reiha. "Please!" She sounded desprate, Reiha took a deep breath in, and when she exhaled she began to walk to this woman.

"Help!" She cried again, though Reiha could not feel any demonic arua in the area. _Perhaps this is the preistess training I received.. _A smile crossed her face, she had picked something up from the old priestess.

As the woman came into her sight, she recognized the red pants and the white shirt. _A priestess... _She could have turned to run, but the woman could have hit her with a sacred arrow. Reiha continued to move towards the pure woman. _If I die, than I die 'as I was born.'_

The woman no longer cried for help, she in fact looked very sure of herself. "Demon, why did you come to the cry of a human?" Her tone was cold.

"It was a cry for help, I've been taught not to turn away from such a cry." Reiha responded, her own tone surprised her with its strength.

"You are no ordinary demon. Who are you?" The priestess demanded.

"I cannot tell you, for I do not know." Sorrow edged her voice.

The priestess moved closer to Reiha. The demon tensed as the womans spritual energy encrouched on her youkai. "You can relax, demon. I mean you no harm." Reiha looked to the priestess skepticism clear on her brow. "Your heart, demon, it is pure." The priestess spoke quietly, as if what she had said was an impossible feat. Reihas' look softened as she gazed at the woman. "Do you not yearn for this?" The woman moved a hand to the pink jewel around her neck.

"No, I do not." Reiha answered dully.

"Than I have a favor to ask of you." The priestess said boldly. Again, Reihas' brow furrowed with skepticism. "This jewel is longed for by demons, and I am to take it to a village just east of here. If you deliver it to the priestess there, I can help you with your memory."

"How do you plan on that?" Reiha said sharply.

"I can release the seal on your memory. Or at least lesson it." She said. Reiha looked to the woman.

"How will I get into this village? I am a demon."

"I will put a seal on your aura, but it will only last for three days." She said reaching into her kimono for the seal.

"How will I know the village?" Reiha asked blandly.

"It is surrounded by a forest, and an old god is near a well. You will sense the arua of dead demons from within that well. Follow the scent of humans from there and it will lead you to the village." While she explained, Reihas' thoughts drifted back to the small village she had left only three days ago.

The demon nodded and held out her small clawed hand. The priestess took the jewel from her neck and placed it in the other womans hand. "It's called the Shikon No Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls. Demons seek it out, and in the posession of a demon it makes them stronger, it amplifies their youkai and demonic abilities." The priestess spoke looking at the jewel in Reihas' hands. The woman brought her gaze to meet with Reihas' ocean eyes. "Your youkai however, has not changed. Your heart is pure, as well as your motives. You are a pure woman. I was right not to kill you.." Her voice grew quiet, she took Reihas' hand and closed her fingers around the glowing pink jewel. "Take care, demon." She placed the seal on the ground in front of Reiha. The ground began to glow a light blue in a circle around the demon. The light sprang from the ground and surrounded her completely; the demon inside stared at the priestess. "Your youkai will not reach farther than the circle, for three days." The priestess turned away and the light dissapeared, "Take care, demon." Reiha watched the woman walk away, she took a breath and walked the opposite direction of the priestess. Her journey had begun.

She had traveled past noon and not a single demon had attacked her. She began to wonder if this 'Shikon No Tama' was anything other than a rock. As that thought crossed her mind she felt the arua of demon. _As proof it is something..._ She thought as she placed the jewel around her neck. The aura moved closer to her and she knew she was going to be forced to fight. She sank low into a crouch and raised her claws like she had seen Inuyasha do so many times. She waited, the creature burst from the trees. Half woman half centipede. "Give it to me." She circled her long body around Reiha, "I must have it!" she lunged and Reiha jumped above the demons head. "Not so fast, girl!" The centipede grabbed her ankle with one of her six arms. A sadistic smile crossed her face as she licked her lips. "The rumored Shikon Jewel. It is MINE!" she yelled to the sky reaching to the jewel at Reihas' throat.

Her thoughts raced and she watched the hand come closer to the jewel. The centipede held Reiha upside down in front of her, the jewel hung to the side of Reihas' face. The centipede woman brought her face close to Reihas': "You weren't much a fight. But, no matter, the jewel is mine." She reached for it again and Reihas' claws made contact with the insects face.

"AHHHH! You wench!" She screamed as she brought all six of her hands to her now bleeding face. Reiha landed the drop on the balls of her feet. She smiled at the tall insect; "You are not as strong as you think you are."

"And you are stronger?" The half woman laughed, "I can't even feel your youkai. You are nothing!" She lunged again. _She doesn't learn._ Reiha thought as she swiftly avoided the womans hands. She dug her claws into her skin. "Blades of Blood!" She cried swinging her claws towards the demon. Her blood tore through the flesh of the insect and made contact with her heart. "I am stronger than you." Reiha said as she walked around her now dead opponent.

As the aura of deamons filled the space around her she began to run. She had only minutes left on the seal the priestess had put on her. She ran past the well without so much as a glance at it. The god tree aswell. But as the village came into her view, she froze. _I cannot go back. Not now.._ "It's a beautiful view, in't it?" She hadn't noticed the elderly woman sitting on a tree stump next to her. "It is. Do you know the priestess of this village?" She asked as normally as she could.

"Ever since she was a small child. Are you looking for her?" The woman squinted up at the demon.

"Can you take this to her? It is important she gets it." Reiha said pulling the jewel from under her kimono.

"I can, but only if you walk with me to the villages' edge." She bargand. Reiha smiled and waited for the woman to stand.

The two did not talk, for the walk was short. As they reached the edge of the forest the demon stopped. "Take this imediatly to Lady Kikyo." She said holding the jewel out. The woman took it; "Who shall I tell her sent it?"

"A priestess." Reiha responded. "Thank you." She added before the old woman turned to walk into the village.


End file.
